Electrical connecter



w. J. GAGNON ELECTRICAL CONNECTER origina FiledFeb. 29. 19'24 Oct. 19 1926.

lllllllllll Patented oct. ,19; 1926.

UNITED STATES 1 ATa1-1T`orifice.

WILLIAM-J. GAGNON, 0F BRIDGEPOB'T, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR -T0 THE BEAD CHAIN `LEAN'UFACTURING' COMPANY, 0F BBIDGEPORT,

CONNECTICUT.

CONNECTICUT, A (CORPORATION OF nnncrnrcan CONNECTER. l

Original application nled February 23, 1924, Serial No. 695,922. Divided and this application tiled Uetober 8, 1925.

Reference may behad to the accompanying drawings, and the reference characters marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. Similar characters refer to (similar vparts in the several gures therein.

. This ap lication is a division of an aplication led by meA February 29, 1924,

erial No. 695,972, for electrical connecterstthe connecter, showing in side elevation the l two plugs embodying my invention, and ilv .lustrating diagrammatically a resistance in- Fig. 1.

invention is shown in vpre erred form,

eluded in the circuit between the lugs. A Fio. 3 is a horizontal section of t e socket- LImember taken on the broken li'ne in Fig. 4 is a view in elevation on an enlarged scale of one of the contact-sockets as shown' in Fig. 1. v

Fig. 5 is a' horizontal section on an enlar ed scale taken on the vbroken line 5-5 in ig. 2', through one of the contact-plugs, and its enclosing contact-socket. A

Referring to the ldrawings wherein the have shown the socket-member, 1, provided with-two contact-sockets, 3, and the plugmember, 2, provided with two plugs, 4.

In the drawings I have shown, the inj'vention applied to an electrical connecter asused for ordinary household devices such as toasters, coiee percolators, electric flatirons and the like, in which case a plurality 'of contact-sockets and plugs are employed,`

the/plug-member, 2, beingA the device to be heated, by means of a resistance, .-5, in-

' v eluded' in the circuit between theV plugs, 4.

- flat pieces or Each plug, 4:, is made up of two preferably thicknesses of metals having tion and lon socket, the contact-socket Serial No. 61,227.

diiierentcoeilicients of expansion welded or otherwise secured together, with the similar metals on either the inner sides of both plugs, or on the outer sides of both plugs.

I have shown the plugs with the metal having the higher coeflicient of expansion on their outer or remote sides.

The plugs thus form thermostatic members which under the actionof heat tend to bend toward each other and to embrace between them interposed parts of the con- -bend toward each other will result in increased pressure of the plugs upon the interposed portions of the contact-sockets.

The contact-sockets may be of any desired form'adaptedl` to coo erate with the plugs in the manner descri ed.

I have shown the contact-sockets of the general form of a cross in horizontal sec- 'tudinally split to facilitate insertion of t e plugs; but the several contact-sockets may have a continuous circumference if desired. v

The operation of the device is as follows: The plugs, 4, of the plug-memberlare inserted in the respective contact-sockets, 3, of the socket-member which are spaced apart substantially the same distance as are the lugs.

Willen the electric current is transmitted between the plugs and the respective' contact-sockets, if either of the plugs does not fit suiciently tightly within its contactand plug become heated, causing the plug, due to its thermostatic construction to tend to bend toward the other plug and thereby to compress between the plugs the intervening portions of the contact-sockets and socket-member, and thus to press more tightly against the cooperative contact surfaces on the respective contact-sockets. Y

Any loosenessin the fitting ofthe plugs in their respective contact-sockets is thus automatically corrected in the operatlon of the device.

By reversingthe positions of the two.

`plied through the connecter, resulting in loose contacts and resultant arcing betweenj contact-.surfaces which should be in'close contact with each other.

My invention tends to overcome this diiiiculty by automatically increasing the pressure between contacting surfaces as the temperature of theconnecter parts increases.

Certain objects of the invention can be obtained by making one only of the plugs thermostatic, as the bending of one ofthe plugs under the inlluence of heat will tend to vary the distance between the plugs and cause both to more tightly engage v the respective contact-sockets. i

Ido not Wish to be limited to the cnn'- structions shown and ,above describedgas, for certain purposes of the invention, `vari-- ous changes may be made in the form and arrangement of various parts of the device without departing from the spirit, of the invention.

It `will also be understood that claims to patentable features of the connecter illustrated, broader than those appended hereto, arel not waived. Such eneric claims are presented in the aforesai original application Serial 'Number 695,972, and one or more of the other divisional cases thereot` heretofore tiled.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. A connecter for electrical conductors including a plug-member having a pair of contact-plugs, and a socket-member having a pair of contact-sockets adapted to receive the respective plugs, one of said plugsfhaving a thermostatic contact portion movable under the action of heat to vary the distance between the plugs. 2. A connecter for electrical conductors including' a plug-member having a pair of contact-plugs, and a socket-member having a pair of contact-sockets adapted to receive the respective plugs, said plugs having thermostatic elements tending under the action of heat to bend the plugs in opposite directions.

3. A connecter for electrical conductors including a plug-member having a air of contact-plugs, and a socket-member aving a pair of contact-sockets adapted to receive the respective plugs, said plugs having thermostatic elements tending under the action of heat to bend the plugs toward each other.

4. A connecter for electrical conductors includinga plug-member having a pair of contact-plugs, and a socket-member having a .pair of contact-sockets adapted to receive the respective plugs, the several plugs being formed of secured-together strips of metals, with the metals on neighboring sides of the Aplugs of a different coetlicient of expansion from the metals on the remote sides of the plugs. l

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of September,

WILLIAM GAGNON. 

